Re: Spring 2016 | Page 23

serious athletic challenges such as the long distance SUP races, Open water swims and Surf Life Saving Competitions. The Paddle Village comprises a diverse area of 90,000 square metres featuring something for everyone with surfboards and small boats to high-end Ukuleles and surf-art on display. There are four entertainment stages catering for a wide variety of age and tastes, numerous outdoors restaurants, land based activities such as skateboarding, BMX and Parkour, plus for the past 7 years, a specially built access beach, affording people with disabilities not only access to the beach, but the opportunity to go in to the sea as well. Entry in to the Paddle Village is by donation and stewarded by volunteers with buckets. The top charitable companies volunteer their staff and Mayo Wynne Baxter are obviously leading by example once again with our staff dressed in our very best beach finery! All the profit after operating cost from the event are donated to charity – currently the profit donated to charity stands at over £250,000. Part of the charm of “Paddle” is the fact that it has always been run by a dedicated group of volunteers so it always has that personal touch and reaches the heart of the city. 23